Concrete is a common and popular composite material used for constructing structures. It is used to make roads, buildings, walls, and floors. Concrete may be composed of water, granular solids, and binders, along with other materials, that are mixed together to form a highly viscous fluid that cures and dries into a hard, rigid mass. When used in flooring applications, i.e. building foundations, a flooring material may be applied onto the concrete surface. Some examples of flooring material are chemical finishes, wood, tile, and flooring covers such as carpet and vinyl.
Adhesives are used to bond said flooring materials to the concrete surface. During the early part of the 1990s, the flooring industry moved from solvent-born adhesives to aqueous or water-born formulations. Subsequently, it became evident that the water-born formulations were sensitive to elevated concrete moisture and pH. In cases where floors are subjected to elevated moisture from maintenance, flooding, or relatively high humidity, the failure of these water-born adhesive formulations can lead to extensive and costly repairs.
Another common problem when applying flooring material on the concrete slab surface is that air molecules become trapped in the pores and channels of the concrete slab. The air molecules can combine to form bubbles between the concrete and flooring material as they migrate to the surface. As known to one skilled in the art, delaminations are separations of the flooring material from concrete slab, caused by water and/or air trapped under the flooring material surface. As a result of these damages, significant amounts of time and money may be required to repair the concrete and/or flooring material, or replace the system altogether. Hence, there is a need to remove the air molecules and prevent the defects from forming.
Existing methods and compositions fail to meet this need. For example, US20020022688 of Tysak relates to a coated cementitious substrate with a glossy appearance, dirt pick-up resistance, and efflorescence resistance, and includes the steps of applying a coating formulation onto a green cementitious substrate and of curing the coated green cementitious substrate. Tysak teaches a formulation that is specifically used as a final outer coating on a substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,175,187 of Killilea features coating compositions for cementitious substrates may be made from a multistage latex polymer; silane; and a water-soluble acid, acid anhydride or acid salt capable of etching or otherwise reacting with the surface of the substrate to provide improved coating adhesion. Killilea teaches that the coating compositions are used as a topcoat.
US20150011695A1 of Bohling et al. relates to a composition comprising a stable aqueous dispersion of large acrylic based polymer particles and small acrylic based polymer particles wherein the large polymer particles comprise structural units of a phosphorus acid monomer or a salt thereof; and wherein the small polymer particles comprise a substantial absence of structural units of any phosphorus acid monomer and salts thereof. Bohling et al. teaches that the compositions are used as a binder for paint formulations.
US20120183789 of Smith features a water-based concrete or masonry sealant includes an acrylic- or silicone-modified reaction product of an unsaturated drying oil and an alkyd, the reaction product being dispersed in aqueous solution; and a dispersion of metal salt catalyst in aqueous solution. Smith teaches a sealant that is specifically used as a final outer coating on a substrate.